Adena Friedman: The Future of FinTech

Technology trends including the cloud, blockchain and quantum computing are changing the future of capital markets and investors' access to them. Adena Friedman, Nasdaq's President and CEO, and the first woman to lead a major US exchange operator, spoke at a Talks at GS session about how the exchange is adapting new technologies to promote access, efficiency and security across markets.

On three key technologies changing the industry: “The cloud is going to change a lot of how we manage our infrastructure, how we interact with each other and how we’re able to scale and grow. If you look at efficiency, the blockchain has a huge ability to change the way settlement occurs and the transfer of ownership. But if I were to pick the one technology that I think will change the industry the most, it’s definitely machine intelligence.”

On supporting companies that choose to stay private: "There's a natural lifecycle to every company. Some of that evolution should occur as a private company and some can and should occur as a public company."

On taking risks in leadership: “When you’re in a business and you’re running a business, you should make sure you know as much as you can. But anytime you’re making a big decision, whether it’s an acquisition or getting into new business, there are going to be unknowns and you have to be willing to use your gut.”